Flexible Packaging:

Contributing to Sustainability Less Resources. Less Footprint. More Value.

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Introduction

During the early 1900s, as more Americans moved from the farm to

the city, food had to be shipped farther from its source and thus

had to stay edible for longer periods of time. Food and other

consumer products had to be protected throughout the chain of

distribution; from the farm or manufacturing plant to the warehouse

to the store to the home.

Today, less than 3% of Americans live and work on farms. However,

the fact that these few Americans can feed more than 300 million

Americans and millions more overseas is the result of the

successful development of distribution systems and packaging

necessary to avoid spoilage and waste.

The average grocery store contains more than 10,000 different

products, each with unique packaging requirements.

1

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association Source: Flexible Packaging Association

What is a Package?

A package is the container that encloses products. It

comes in many forms including wraps, pouches,

bags, boxes, cups, trays, cans, tubes, bottles and

jars. Packages are designed to:

• protect and preserve the product

• provide information about the product, and

• make the product easier and more convenient to

use

2

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association Source: Flexible Packaging Association

Reasons Why Packaging Matters!

• Packaging reduces municipal solid waste by preserving

products.

• Packaging reduces the costs of virtually all products by

reducing product damage.

• Packaging helps consumers make informed purchasing

decisions.

• Packaging delivers nutritious food and reduces food waste.

• Packaging protects against product tampering.

• Packaging provides convenience for product transportation and

use.

• Packaging is one key to eliminating starvation, malnutrition and

disease by preserving food and improving distribution.

• Packaging reduces diseases by reducing spoilage.

• Packaging gives us product choices we would not otherwise

have.

3

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association Source: Institute of Packaging Professionals

Flexible Packages

• Flexible packages have no shape of their own, and it can

change shape readily, compressing easily and requiring a

minimal amount of materials to manufacture.

• Flexible packaging materials are used to create a barrier

between the product and the environment. They are used to

seal in freshness and lock out potentially damaging

environmental elements, such as excess moisture, light, and

oxygen that could affect the quality and taste of food, or the

efficacy of medication.

4

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association Source: Flexible Packaging Association

Flexible Packaging.

Less Resources. Less Waste.

• Flexible Packaging typically uses less energy and less

materials.

• Flexible packaging creates less waste in the first place®

through source reduction.

• Source reduction is equivalent to minimal packaging – use of

the smallest amount of materials possible to package a

product.

• Flexible packaging represents only about 2% of municipal solid

waste.

5

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association Source: Flexible Packaging Association

Flexible Packaging Uses Less

Energy to Manufacture

drive to stores,

storage,

cooking, 30%

food production,

50%

transport &

retailing, 10%

packaging, 10%

Of total energy used in the food chain:

Source: “Packaging in Perspective” prepared by the Advisory Committee on Packaging (UK) 6

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

• 50% used in food production

• 10% on transport to stores

• 10% to make primary, secondary and tertiary packaging

• 30% is used by shoppers to drive to the shops and store and cook food

Flexible Packaging Reduces

Food Spoilage & Waste

Shelf life extended from 3 days to

14+ days in store

Flexible Packaging Prolongs Shelf

Life: Identical bunches stored for 7

days

In-store waste reduced from 3% to under 1%

Source: Incpen

“Food waste has at least 10 times the environmental impact

of packaging waste and that’s before taking account of

the impact of methane from decayed food.”

7

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Flexible Packaging

Saves Transportation Miles

& Fuel Consumption

60 pounds of beverage

50 pounds of glass

6 pounds of Rigid PET

3 pounds of aluminum

1.5 pounds of Flexible plastic = = =

=

Sources: Dow Presentation; FPA Case Studies, 2009 8

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Lightweight Flexible Packaging

Improves Transportation Efficiency

• Reducing Fossil Fuel Consumption and CO2

emission

• Lessening Highway Wear/Tear and Congestion

26 Truckloads of Unfilled Glass Jars

One Truckload of Unfilled Plastics

Pouches

Less Fuel consumed & Less

emissions

= =

Source: DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation

(Pasta Sauce Flexible Pouch Example)

9

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Flexible Packaging Sends LESS

to the Landfill even after Recycling Rates

are Considered

MSW Landfill per

100 g Product (g)

Beverage Packaging Example:

6.0

54.5

2.4

2.8

Sources: FPA Case Studies, 2009; EPA 2007 MSW Report

To

MSW

Landfill

65%

63%

51%

100%

Product

Weight

(g)

Package

Weight

(g)

Package

Wt per

100 g

Product

(g)

Recycle

Rate

Glass Bottle

& Metal Cap 236 198.4 83.9 35%

Plastic PET

bottle & Cap 236 22.7 9.6 37%

Aluminum

Can 236 11.3 4.7 49%

Flexible

Stand Up

Pouch 199 5.7 2.8 0%

10

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Beverage Packaging

Case Story

Beverage

Packaging

Product

Weight

Packaging

Weight

Product-to-

Packaging

Ratio

Packaging

Weight

per 100g

Product

MSW Landfill

per 100 g

Product*

Energy

Consumption

MJ/8 oz

Emissions

Kg CO2 e

/8 oz

Glass Bottle

& Metal Cap

8 ounces

(236 g) 198.4 g 1:1 83.9 g 54.5 g 3.36 0.29

Plastic PET Bottle

& Cap

8 ounces

(236 g) 22.7 g 10:1 9.6 g 6.0 g 3.00 0.18

Aluminum

Can

8 ounces

(236 g) 11.3 g 21:1 4.7 g 2.4 g 0.99 0.08

Stand-up Flexible

Pouch

6.75 ounces

(199 g) 5.7 g 35:1 2.8 g 2.8g 0.45 0.02

Product assumed to be water; *Recycling rates factored: U.S. EPA 2007 MSW Report. Cradle-to-grave life cycle energy consumption and CO2 emissions data developed for FPA by Battelle Memorial Institute. Packaging weight, product weight, and product-to-packaging ratio calculated by Packaging & Technology Integrated Solutions, LLC (PTIS)

11

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Conclusion

• Packaging is critical to modern lifestyle and

food safety.

• Flexible packaging generally saves more

resources than it consumes.

• Flexible packaging reduces waste to landfill

by preserving and protecting products until

they are consumed.

12

© 2013 Flexible Packaging Association

Source: Flexible Packaging Association